Mark Wood has never played 50-over cricket for Durham – but limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan believes he can star in the shorter formats for England.

Wood has only made 14 40-over and nine Twenty20 appearances for his county, but Morgan sees him as a vital part of his new-look side.

Wood broke into the 50-over team for the last three matches of the series win over New Zealand, and also featured in the 20-over win against the counties. Although he was rested for the Twenty20 game against Australia, he is set for a leading role in the five-match one-day international series, which started in Southampton today.

“I think for a long time now we have relied on Jimmy (Anderson) and Broady (Stuart Broad) and this summer, given it’s an Ashes summer, gives a great opportunity for (other) guys to lead the attack,” commented Morgan.

“Mark Wood has done that and its going to be another big challenge playing against the world champions.

“But certainly I have loved what I have seen so far and I have belief that Mark can carry that form over and star with the white ball.

“We are playing against the world champions which is going to be a difficult task, but if we get the most out of ourselves as individuals, I think we will flourish as a team because we have some very exciting talents within the side.

“We have only scratched the surface.”

Ashington-born Wood only took two wickets in the New Zealand ODI series, but he was England’s most economical bowler.

Although neither Anderson nor Broad retired from one-day cricket after spring’s terrible World Cup campaign, with such a heavy schedule over the following 12 months, England’s selectors have been understandably keen to protect them.

Bringing in younger players in their place has allowed the Three Lions to create a more dynamic limited-overs side.

“We have started to turn things around and play an aggressive brand of cricket,” added Morgan.

“I think the challenge for us is going to be maintaining that. I think one way of maintaining it and the only way I want to maintain it, is to keep pushing ourselves to want to improve and to put the opposition under pressure at all times and try and build something.”

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